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Bill would bar recognition of out‑of‑state driver IDs issued to people who cannot attest legal status
Summary
Representative Tracy Sharp introduced House Bill 4 69 to prohibit Montana from recognizing driver credentials issued by other states to people who cannot attest they are legally present in the U.S.; sponsor cited Florida’s example and said the measure is aimed at discouraging states that issue such credentials.
Representative Tracy Sharp opened the hearing on House Bill 4 69, describing the measure as a step to make Montana “a hard target” for illegal activity by refusing to recognize out‑of‑state driver credentials issued to people who cannot attest lawful U.S. presence.
Sharp cited examples from other states, saying some jurisdictions issue driver credentials with legends such as “not valid for federal identification” and that Montana should refuse to accept such documents for state purposes. She told the committee the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) supported implementation and that the fiscal note shows no cost to the state.
Lori Bakri, the Motor Vehicle Division administrator, appeared as an informational witness and offered to answer technical questions about current license requirements. In committee Q&A, Representative Staffman and others raised the related policy issue of driver privilege cards: Staffman described a separate bill in Transportation that would create a driver privilege card for people who are legally present in the U.S. but who do not yet qualify for a full driver’s license; the sponsor said she would be open to harmonizing language so the bills do not conflict.
No opponents signed up in the hearing; committee members discussed potential amendments to align the bill with other pending proposals affecting people in immigration proceedings. No vote or final action was recorded at the end of the hearing.
